Bright Horizons Springfields Day Nursery and Preschool

Bright Horizons Springfields Day Nursery andPreschool
Unique reference number (URN): EY286822
Address: Beacon Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 7BJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 19/08/2004
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited
Inspection report: 10 August 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Expected standard
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff work in partnership with families to ensure that they develop good habits
regarding attendance and punctuality. They have conversations with parents and carers
about patterns of attendance to ensure that children benefit from all experiences across the
day. Children typically respond positively to staff and their peers. Staff model respectful
interactions and use gentle, age-appropriate interventions to ensure children understand the
expectations placed on them. For example, they model how to take turns and share the
resources on offer. This helps even the youngest children to engage in cooperative play,
such as holding a doll with friends as they sing and dance.
Routines are inclusive and flexible. This approach ensures that children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and
those with other barriers to learning are equally involved in learning opportunities. Older
children demonstrate confidence in building relationships and collaborating with others.
They make choices during play and engage well with peers who share similar interests. For
example, children are keen to look at X-rays when they talk about broken bones in their role-
play hospital.
Firmly embedded routines support younger children to understand what is happening now
and next. Babies respond positively to visual cues and move to the low-level sink to wash
their hands when they see lunch being delivered to the room. Older children are supported
to build their independence through opportunities to serve food and pour drinks. Staff praise
children's efforts and achievements, which helps to build confidence and self-awareness.
Overall, practising these important life skills helps children become prepared for the next
stage of their learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and staff prioritise all children's welfare and wellbeing. They consistently work with
external professionals to promote the health and wellbeing of children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and
those with other barriers to their learning. Staff explain how they promote healthy lifestyles
with children in different ways. For example, they have recently completed a self-care week.
During this time, staff taught children about concepts of germs and the benefits of effective
handwashing. They also share a selection of books that encourage healthy eating. In
addition, various visitors, such as those with medical jobs, attend the nursery to discuss their
roles with the children. Children's emotional wellbeing is promoted as staff explore the
language of feelings using age-appropriate books and stories. Children are also provided
with experiences to practise meditation, which supports their ability to become regulated and
recognise different emotions.
Children benefit from a healthy and nutritionally balanced menu in the setting. Staff talk with
children at mealtimes about the benefits of different foods with regard to a healthy lifestyle.
Leaders work closely with parents and carers to promote oral health, and this is extended
through learning opportunities for children in the setting.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders demonstrate a positive approach to inclusion. They are committed to helping staff in
developing their skills and knowledge of how best to support children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), children known or previously known to social
care or those with other barriers to their learning. Those with responsibility for coordinating
support for children with SEND have clear oversight of the provision. They work closely with
parents and carers to meet the individual needs of children. This includes having ongoing
discussions and involving parents in identifying barriers to learning and setting appropriate
targets. Leaders engage key people and families in planning the use of additional funding to
support children's development, taking into account their learning styles and interests.
Staff recognise that young children who experience changes face barriers to their learning
as they need to adjust to a new environment and new carer. Their effective management of
these changes helps children experience consistent care that prioritises their needs. Parents
report feeling supported and included in implementing strategies to help children become
more regulated and settled.
Leaders and staff work with external professionals and agencies to extend their
understanding of children's physical and sensory needs. This helps ensure that targets are
appropriate and purposeful in supporting children's progress, in line with their age and stage
of development.

Needs attention
Achievement Needs attention
Children's achievement is variable because teaching is inconsistent. As a result, some
children are not effectively supported to practise, refine and embed new skills and
knowledge. In addition, during times when adult interactions are limited, children are not fully
supported in extending their thoughts and ideas through appropriate discussion and
challenge.
Despite these weaknesses, children generally enjoy play. Pre-school-age children are
curious and articulate. They show interest and demonstrate enthusiasm in listening to music
when staff introduce a record player and vinyl. Younger children show interest and
fascination as they engage in sensory play, exploring water and frogs while staff accompany
their play with familiar rhymes.
Curriculum and teaching Needs attention
While leaders have designed a thoughtfully structured curriculum that offers engaging
experiences accessible to all children, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities, children known or previously known to social care and those with barriers to their
learning, there are some significant inconsistencies and weaknesses in teaching. These
include the lack of clearly defined learning intentions, which limits children's learning.
Overall, staff present age-appropriate experiences for children that reflect all areas of
learning. They weave in some mathematical concepts as they support children to sort and
count objects. Children can recognise different shapes and colours through their play.
However, staff interactions do not consistently extend children's learning and build on what
they already know and can do. On occasions, children spend prolonged periods of time with
little or no interaction from staff. During these times, children become bored or disengaged.
Children develop an early love of books, stories and song. Staff provide some opportunities
for children to engage with language-rich experiences. Babies and younger children enjoy
sharing books with staff, turning pages and pointing to familiar objects while snuggling
closely for comfort and connection. Throughout the setting, children join in action rhymes
and dancing games, confidently choosing friends to join in. These experiences support
children's early communication skills and help them develop rhythm, rhyme and social
confidence.
Leadership and governance Needs attention
There are some significant weaknesses across curriculum and teaching that limit children's
learning, and impact on their engagement. Leaders are reflective and demonstrate an
understanding of the nursery's strengths and areas for development. They evaluate the
provision effectively and identify that driving secure safeguarding knowledge and
understanding has impacted on the quality of curriculum and teaching.
Staff report positively on their wellbeing and share that they feel included and valued.
Supervision sessions facilitated by considerate leaders contribute to staff members

identifying their need for professional development. Leaders support staff in identifying their
strengths and building on areas for development through varied opportunities for further
learning.
Leaders build and sustain professional working relationships with external agencies. They
provide opportunities for staff to discuss children with other professionals, which helps to
ensure a cohesive approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and those with barriers to their
learning. Leaders use additional funding effectively to prioritise the needs of individual
children.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children participate in many interesting learning experiences during their time in the setting.
However, staff do not typically focus sharply enough on what they want children to learn as
they engage in these opportunities. The quality of teaching and interactions is inconsistent,
and staff do not plan effectively to support children's skills to challenge their learning. This
means that children are not making as much progress as they could with more effective
planning and more consistent high-quality interactions.
Children are happy and settled in this inviting setting. They demonstrate that they feel safe,
familiar and confident with the daily routines. Babies and children benefit from an effective,
firmly embedded key-person system, as leaders pay attention to the connections children
make with staff and provide ongoing support when they first start. Children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, children known or previously known to social care and
those with other barriers to their learning benefit from the clear oversight of leaders
responsible for ensuring they access timely and appropriate support. This helps children
make progress from their starting points.
Children promptly engage in a range of learning experiences upon arrival. They develop
positive relationships with their peers, and these can lead to early friendships. Older children
play collaboratively, assigning roles as they engage in imaginative play in the well-resourced
hospital role-play area that staff have created. Children benefit from spending time in the
large outdoor learning environment. Some choose to sit and draw with their friends,
demonstrating competence in pencil control, making careful, considered marks that result in
recognisable and detailed pictures. Other children develop their gross motor skills, strength
and stamina as they push wheelbarrows and use gardening tools. Children demonstrate
kindness to others and cooperate well by taking turns and sharing resources. This creates a
harmonious, lively buzz throughout the setting.
Next steps
To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the
provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:
Action Completion Date
improve the quality of teaching so that all children
remain fully engaged in learning and make sustained
progress from their individual starting points
15/09/2026

Inspectors:
Lisa Gadsby
Joe Groom
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY286822
Address:
Beacon Street
Lichfield
Staffordshire
WS13 7BJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 19/08/2004
Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Staffordshire
Action Completion Date
provide appropriate training and professional
development opportunities to ensure staff consistently
offer quality learning and development experiences for
children
15/09/2026
About this inspection
The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinators
and parents during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 10 August 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
119
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,
please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.
You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium,
under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy
Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk.
Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information
and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn.
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
T: 0300 123 1231
Textphone: 0161 618 8524
E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
© Crown copyright 2026
© Crown copyright